Paul George scores 38 points in Celtics debut despite loss to Pistons

In his regular-season debut for the Boston Celtics, Paul George scored a franchise-record 38 points. The nine-time All-Star, acquired from the Philadelphia 76ers in a trade involving Jaylen Brown, shot 12-of-21 from the field and made seven 3-pointers.

Despite George’s historic performance, the Celtics suffered a 121-113 loss to the Detroit Pistons. Boston held a commanding 22-point lead early in the third quarter, but Detroit mounted a massive comeback fueled by a 23-0 fourth-quarter run. Key contributors for the Pistons included Cade Cunningham, Jalen Duren, Javonte Green, and Duncan Robinson.

Celtics star Jayson Tatum struggled offensively, shooting 6-of-23 from the field and missing all seven of his three-point attempts, though he recorded 11 assists. The Celtics' starting lineup for the opener featured Derrick White, Jordan Walsh, Paul George, Jayson Tatum, and Mitchell Robinson, while Payton Pritchard moved to a bench role.